Louis CK Admits Sexual Harassment Stories are True

Rumors of Louis CK masturbating in front of younger comics has dogged the comedian for his entire career — in rumors, in small pieces in Gawker — with much of comedy knowing that these rumors were true. Now the rumors have become fact after exploding in the New York Times. The Times chronicles five first hand accounts of Louis CK masturbating in front of comics who look up to him, asking to masturbate in front of people who work for him and, in one situation — calling to apologize for a transgression and apologizing for the wrong one. Louis CK has once dodged these rumors, but has come out and released an apology stating that they are true, explaining his thinking and how it is and was wrong, and more. Read the apology below.

The CK apology acknowledges that he caused hurt to others, and does not try to deflect the accusations onto a sex addiction like Weinstein did before him. He apologizes to the productions under his watch and admits to the veracity of the stories, which is also refreshing. Not as refreshing is just how many people he’s hurt and the length of time he’s dodged these accusations. He ends his statement with —

I have spent my long and lucky career talking and saying anything I want. I will now step back and take a long time to listen.

The apology has also received criticism as well for being too late and self aggrandizing.